BIOGRAPHY - C. SMITH

C. P. Smith, who is the largest individual farmer in Ford county, is,
moreover, a self-made man, owning his success entirely to his well directed
energy and enterprise. He was born in La Salle county, Illinois, October 30,
1857, a son of Isam and Elizabeth Smith, but does not remember much about
his parents, as the father was killed while serving as a loyal defender of
the Union in the Civil war and the mother died a short time afterward. They
had a family of four children, as follows: Mary, the wife of Albert Miller,
of Piper City, Illinois; C. P. of this review; Harriet, who became the wife
of John Madden and resides in Colorado; and Alice, the wife of Lon McCann,
who lives in Forrest, Illinois.

C. P. Smith acquired his education in the public schools and after
putting aside his text-books he worked at common labor until twenty-five
years of age, when he rented a farm and has since followed agricultural
pursuits, now operating six hundred and forty acres of land on section 31,
Lyman township. Ford county. He also owns eighty acres on section 6, Wall
township, this county; three hundred and twenty acres in lowa, and six
hundred and forty acres in the state of Mississippi. He paid fifty dollars
per acre for the latter tract, and now receives an annual rental of
twenty-five hundred dollars therefrom. His extensive landed interests make
him one of the prosperous and representative citizens of the county, and his
success is all the more creditable by reason of the fact that it has been
honorably gained, being entirely the result of his untiring industry and
straightforward business methods.

On the 22d of February, 1882, Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Miss
Elizabeth Phillips, a native of Philadelphia. Her parents, who are now
deceased, had a family of four children. Unto our subject and his wife were
born the following named: Charles, who is married and operates his father's
farm of eighty acres in Wall township; James, Albert and Benjamin, all of
whom have passed away; and Phillip, John and Verne, who are still under the
parental roof.

In his political views Mr. Smith is a republican but has never sought
office, preferring to give his undivided attention to his business affairs.
Fraternally he is connected with the Woodmen camp at Melvin and with the
Knights of Pythias at the same place, while his religious belief is
indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, to which his
wife also belongs. They are well and favorably known throughout the
community as people of genuine personal worth, and during the long period of
their residence here have gained the respect and esteem of all with whom
they have been associated. His life has been one of continuous activity, in
which has been accorded due recognition of labor and today he is numbered
among the substantial citizens of his county. Moreover, he is ready at all
times to lend his aid and cooperation to any movement calculated to benefit
this section of the country or advance its wonderful development.